Today, belatedly, we celebrate Harvest in St Auggie's. I remember, God am I getting old, days of my youth when the church would be overflowing with apples, oranges, and all sorts of fruit and vegetables. As a choirboy I remember being given first pick of the bounty after Evensong, before it was divided up and sent out to the sick and those in hospital.
Today, Harvest is a bit of a damp squib and we seem to give a token acknowledgement to the bounty of God's creation. Shame, really, but it maybe reflects the ingratitude of folk in the modern age. We maybe, since Thatcher perhaps, seem to always want more, rather than being grateful for what we have. Rant over!
This year we non-farming types brought our own produce to sell to each other - from sourdough starters to bunches of herbs to hand-painted cards. We raised over £60 instantly for a local charity, and we've left the "stall" open since, so items - and money - keep trickling in. Best harvest in years, relevance-wise!
(Recall: this is a congregation on a Sunday of 15-20)